Rear sight for rifles



Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. REDFIELD, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

REAR SIGHT Application led .Tune 12,

This invention relates to a rear peep sight for guns, and has for its principal object, the provision of a sight of this character which will automatically locate itself in the proper erected position, may be locked in the erected position, and which, when accidentally struck against an external object, will fold back along the barrel without injuring or incapacitating the sight.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the sight that it will be absolutely rigid throughout its full range of adjustments.

A further object is to provide a locking means which will simultaneously lock the sight against both angular and vertical movement.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed descript-ion of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of my improved sight.

Fig. 2 is a forward elevation of the sight.

Fig. 3 is a right side elevation thereof.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the sight, taken on the line 4--4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, taken on the line 55, Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail section through nthe sight hinge pin, taken on the lines 6 6, Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 7-7, Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a detail view looking at the lower face of the vertical adjustment locking collar.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of one of the detents employed for locating and locking the sight in operative position.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view of the locking screw catch.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are approximately actual size. Figs. 4 to 8 are approximately double size and Figs. 9 and 1() are greatly magnified.

The invention comprises a sight supporting shaft 10, into which may be threaded, any desired style of peep sight 11, provided FOR RIFLES.

1926. serial No. 115,464.

with the usual aperture 12. The shaft 10 carries two series of Oppositely placed threads, 13, which engage internal threads on an altitude sleeve 14. The altitude sleeve 14 is kiiurled, as illustrated, to provide a convenient finger grip, and, when rotated, will cause the shaft 10 to raise or lower as is usual in sights of this character.

The shaft 10 is vertically slidable within a split spring chuck 15, the threads 13 traveling in slots 16 in the sides of the chuck. The natural spring of the chuck 15 causes it to grip the shaft 10 tightly at all times to prevent lost motion or sidesway in the shaft. The pressure of the chuck upon the shaft is increased and assisted by means of a wedgeshaped shoulder 17 which surrounds the mouth of the chuck. The sleeve 14 is slidable on the chuck 15 and is constantly pressed against the wedge-shaped shoulder 17 by a coil spring 18. This greatly increases the grip of the chuck upon the shaft, takes up any wear which may occur, and insures that the shaft will be always rigidly held at. all elevations. The spring 18 surlounds the chuck 15 and 1s seated in a cup in a locking collar 19, which also receives the lower extremity of the altitude sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 and' collar 19 are caused to rotate in unison by forming depressions 20 in the collar which fit into grooves 21 milled in the sleeve 14, as shown in F ig. 7. The depressions 20 can move longitudinally of the grooves 21 so as to allow the sleeve and collar to be forced apart by the spring 18. The amount of rotation of the altitude sleeve and the corresponding altitude of the sight 11 may he noted by means of index numerals 22 on the collar 19.

rllhe chuck 15 terminates in a bearing' 28 which surrounds a hinge pin 24. The collar 19 rests upon the shoulder formed by the top of the bearing 23. The hinge pin 24 passes through an ear 25 and is threaded into a similar ear 26. The ears 25 and 26 are formed on a hase 27 provided with convenient screw holes 28 for attachment to the upper tang of a rifle, by means of the usual tang bolts. The hinge pin 24 is locked in place by means of a notched lock nut 29. The head of the hinge pin and the nut 29 are similarly tapered to fit into countersinks in the ears 25 and 26 to properly center the hinge pin therein.

The under-face of the collar 19 is taperbored and provided with radial teeth 30 arranged to be engaged by a beveled head 46 on a pawl or click 31. The click 31 is pivoted at 32 in a slot in the bearing 23 and maintained against the teeth of the collar 19 by a spring 33.

The hinge pin 24 contains a diainetricallylaced opening 34, from the opposite sides of which, L-shaped detents 35, having beveled heads 45 are projected by a diametrically-placed spring 36. The detents 35 ride against the inner face of the bearing 23 as the sight is rotated in a vertical arc, until they encounter oppositely placed V-shaped depressions 37 therein. The depressions 37 are so placed that they will be engaged by the detents at the time when the sight is in the proper vertical position and serve to automatically locate the sight in this position. The sight may, however, be easily folded either forwardly or backwardly from the vertical position since pressure thereon will force the detents 35 from the depressions 37.

The sight may be locked in a vertical position by means of a locking screw 38 provided with a lnurled head 39. The locking screw 38 is threaded axially into one extremity of the hinge pin 24 and is provided at its extremity with a small projection 4Q, which, when the locking screw is in one position, engages under a shoulder 41 formed on one of the detents 35 and prevents the detent from disengaging its notch 30, thus eectively locking the sight in its vertical position. W'hen the locking screw 38 is in another position, the projection 40 will release the shoulder 41 and allow the detents to be depressed and the sight folded.

The two positions of the locking screw are determined by suitable notches 42 in the head 39 of the locking screw 38, which are engaged by a catch 43, that is forced outwardly from a seat in the ear 25 by a spring 44. The catch 43 constantly bears against the rim of the head 39 and is held in place by the nut 29 which it is notched to receive, as shown at 47, Fig. 10.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 that when the sight is in the vertical position, the upper detent, in passing into its depression 37, will engage the click 31. Therefore when the locking screw 38 is in the position to lock the upper detent in its depression, it will also lock the click in the teeth 30. This construction enables one locking member to simultaneously lock both the angular and vertical adjustments of the sight.

One of the faults of the present sights is that when the sight is locked in the vertical position and accidentally struck against some object, the sight will be either broken or bent and rendered useless. In the present invention, however, if the sight is locked in its vertical position and struck against an external object, the only result will be to shear off or bend the small projection 40 upon the locking screw, since the blow in tending to turn the sight on its pivot will force the upper detent from its depression against the projection 40. After the projection has been sheared or bent, the sight will .fold either forwardly or backwardly, as required, without injury. After the accident, the sight may be returned to its vertical position unharmed, and the locking screw later replaced or repaired.

Many of the present gun sights have also been damaged by attempting to adjust the altitude sleeve when it is in its locked position. l/Vith the present invention, however, this would not result in serious damage. Let us assume the clutch 31 is in engagement with the teeth 30 and the locking screw 38 has locked the detent 35 against the click. Under ordinary conditions, this would effectively lock the sleeve 14. However, were great pressure put upon the sleeve 14 in an endeavor to rotate it, the teeth 30 could slip over the beveled head 46 of the click by forcing the collar 19 upwardly against the action of the spring 18.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim and desire secured by Letters Patent is 1. In a gun sight, a. sight supporting shaft; a clutch member surrounding said shaft; threaded projections on said shaft arranged to travel in slots in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said clutch member and adapted to engage said threads; a collar surrounding said clutch member adjacent said sleeve, said collar arranged to rotate with, but move longitudinally on, said sleeve; a spring positioned between said collar and said sleeve; and projections on said clutch, said spring acting to force said sleeve against said projections and cause said clutch member to grip said shaft member.

2. In a gun sight, a sight supporting shaft; a clutch member surrounding said shaft; threaded projections on said shaft arranged to travel in slots in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said lclutch member and adapted to engage said threads; teeth arranged to rotate with said threaded sleeve; a click adapted to engage said teeth to cause said threaded sleeve to rotate only in predetermined intervals; and means for locking said click in engagement with said teeth.

3. A gun sight comprising a-base; a pivotl pin carried by "said base; a clutch member pivotally carried by said pivot pin; a sight supporting shaft slidably mounted in said clutch member; projecting threads on said shaft arranged to pass through slotted openings in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said clutch member and adapted to engage said threads; wedge-shaped projections on said clutch member; a spring arranged to urge said threaded sleeve longitudinally along said clutch member and against said projections; a collar adapted to rotate with said sleeve and carry said spring; teeth formed on one face of said collar; and a click carried by said clutch member adjacent said pivot pin and adapted to engage said teeth.

4. A gun sight comprising a base; a pivot pin carried by said base; a clutch member pivotally carried by said pivot pin; a sight supporting shaft slidably mounted in said clutch member; projecting threads on said shaft arranged to pass through slotted openings in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said clutch member and adapted to engage said threads; wedge-shaped pro j ections on said clutch member; a spring arranged to urge said threaded sleeve longitudinally along said clutch member and against said projections; a collar adapted to rotate with said sleeve and carry said spring; teeth formed on one face of said collar; a click carried by said clutch member adjacent said pivot pin and adapted to engage said teeth; detents in said pivot pin; a spring arranged to project said detents outwardly from openings in opposite sides of said pivot pin into depressions in said clutch member when the latter is in a predetermined position.

5. A gun sight comprising a base; a pivot pin carried by said base; a clutch member pivotally carried by said pivot pin; a sight supporting shaft slidably mounted in said clutch member; projecting threads on said shaft arranged to pass through slotted openings in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said clutch member and adapted to engage said threads; wedge-shaped projections on said clutch member; a spring arranged to force said threaded sleeve against said projections; a collar adapted t-o rotate with said sleeve and carry said spring; teeth formed on one face of said collar; a click carried by said clutch member adjacent said pivot pin and adapted to engage said teeth; detents in said pivot pin; a spring arranged to project said detents outwardly from said openings in opposite sides of said pivot pin into depressions in said clutch member when the latter is in a predetermined position, one of said detents adapted to engage said click and maintain it in engagement with said teeth when said detent is in engagement with its depression.

6. A gun `sight comprising a base; a pivot pin carried by said base; a clutch member pivotally carried by said pivotpin; a sight j supporting'shaft slidably mounted in said clutch member; projecting threads on said shaft arranged to pass through slotted openings in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said clutch member and adapted to engage said threads; wedge-shaped projections on said clutch member; a spring` arranged to force said threaded sleeve against said projections; a collar adapted to rotate with said sleeve and carry said spring; teeth formed on one face of said collar; a click carried by said clutch member adjacent said pivot pin and adapted to engage said teeth; detents in said pivot pin; a spring arranged to project said detents outwardly from openings in opposite sides of said pivot pin into depressions in said clutch member when the latter is in a predetermined position, one of said detents adapted to engage said click and maintain it in engagement with said teeth when the detent is in engagement with its depression; a locking screw threaded into said pivot pin parallel with its axis; and a pro jection on said locking screw adapted to engage one of said detents and maintain it in contact with said click.

7. A gun sight comprising a base; a pivot pin carried by said base; a clutch member pivotally carried by said pivot pin; a sight supporting shaft slidably mounted in said clutch member; projecting threads on said shaft arranged to pass through slotted openings in said clutch member; a threaded sleeve surrounding said clutch member and adapted to engage said threads; wedge-shaped projections on said clutch member; a spring arranged to force said threaded sleeve against said projections; a collar adapted to rotate with said sleeve and carry said spring; teeth formed on one face of said collar; a click carried by said clutch member adjacent said pivot pin and adapted to engage said teeth; detents in said pivot pin; a spring arranged to project said detents from opposite sides of said pivot pin into depressions in said clutch member when the latter is in a predetermined position, one of said detents adapted to engage said click and maintain it in engagement with said teeth when the detent is in engagement with its depression; a locking screw threaded into said pivot pin parallel with its aXis; a projection on said locking screw adapted to engage one of said detents and maintain it in contact with said click; and a spring actuated catch arranged to determine the operative and inoperative positions of said locking screw.

8. A gun sight comprising a base member; a hinge pin for said base member; a sighting member supported on said hinge pin; detents in said hinge pin; a spring arranged to project said detents outwardly from openings in opposite sides of said hinge pin into depressions in said sighting member when the latter is in a predetermined position.

9. A gun sight comprising a base member;

ings in opposite sides of said hinge pin into l depressions in said sighting member when the latter is in a predetermined position; and

a projection within said hinge pin arranged to travel in an orbit and engage said detents to lock them in the outwardly project-` ing position. g j

l0. A gun sight comprising a base member; a hinge pin for said base member; a sighting niembersupported on said hinge pin; detents in said hinge pin; a spring arranged to project said detents outwardly from openings in opposite sides of said hinge pin into depressions in said sighting member when the latter is in a predetermined position; a locking screw threaded into said hinge pin parallel with its axis; and a projection on said locking screw adapted to engage one of said detents and maintain it in the outwardly projecting position.

ll. A gun sight comprising a base member; a hinge pin for said base member; a sighting member supported on said hinge pin; detents in said hinge pin; a spring arranged to project said detents outwardly from openings in opposite sides of said hinge pin into depressions in said sighting member when the latter is in a predetermined position; a locking screw threaded into said hinge pin parallel with its axis; a projection on said locking screw adapted to engage one of said detent-s and maintain it in the outwardly projecting position; and a click adapted to control the movement of said locking screw so as to maintain said projection in the operative or inoperative position as desired.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature.

JOHN H. REDFIELD. 

